- Hardcover: 260 pages
- Publisher: Prentice Hall & IBD (1 Feb 1988)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0025211609
- ISBN-13: 978-0025211605
- Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 17 x 3.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,063,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
While The Influence is by no means a bad read, it certainly does not represent Ramsey Campbell at his best. An old matriarch named Queenie has managed to summon her family around her in her dying days, exhibiting a conspicuous amount of attention to her great-niece, whom she summons just before she dies. As her family settles down in the house for the next few months, young Rowan begins to change, becoming more and more like the late Queenie herself. Queenie had always had a terrifying influence on the family, particularly upon her nieces Hermione and Alison, Rowan's mother, once scaring Hermione so badly with a vision of death that the girl had to spend some time in hospital. After Queenie's death, an acquaintance of the family supposedly kills himself after having tried to contact Alison about "the child." Rowan also finds a new playmate named Vicki whom no one but Hermione ever actually sees. She, unlike her sister, is deeply suspicious of Queenie's motives even after death, knowing the old lady all but swore she would never really die, but everyone else thinks of her as just a little too unstrung by events. Naturally, Rowan continues to take on more of Queenie's ways, eventually coming home a changed little girl after a traumatic night with her Aunt Hermione. The story takes something of a weird turn here, one which ends up slightly problematic in my eyes. The events of the last several chapters are thrown together a little haphazardly, with Campbell conveniently avoiding several thorny issues that I believe he really needed to elaborate upon. The actual shift in focus is handled quite well, revealing itself rather surprisingly to me, but the novel's momentum increasingly falters at the very times it should be heating up. Another plot device I didn't particularly embrace was the author's tendency to shift back and forth in time between characters; something would happen to one character in one chapter, then the next chapter would shift backwards and walk the reader up to the same established point through the eyes of another player in the events; this isn't necessarily a bad technique, but I found it a little awkwardly done at times.
The Influence has plenty of potential to interest and even please the potential reader, but it doesn't seem the type of novel one might find exhilarating; I basically watched events unfolding without ever finding myself really sucked into the drama. Ramsey Campbell fans will surely want to read this novel, but there are several more impressive Campbell novels better suited for those wanting to try Campbell for the first time.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When Queenie, the Faraday family’s ancient and oppressive matriarch, is finally laid to rest, no one could foresee the horrifying extent of her evil influence, even in death. As the Faraday family gets settled in the house, Alison’s daughter Rowan begins to make friends with a mysterous girl named Vicky. As the family’s closeness is put to the test, Rowan gradually begins to take on the characteristics of the late Queenie until a dramatic event in the family’s life changes everything. Then you begin to question who is really who.
First published back in 1988, Campbell’s psychological horror ‘The Influence’ delves into the world of the spirit and the afterlife. He quickly sets the situation of the book down, with the introduction of the very close-knit Faraday family, then slowly builds the tension as the story unfolds. Campbell’s characterization of the family is superb, making the characters believable and their personalities involved. The character of Rowan in particular is easily liked and draws upon your emotions as she discovers the true secret to her new friend Vicky.
The novel is written with a changing perspective from chapter to chapter. Campbell shifts back and forth in time between the characters, allowing a situation to happen with one character, then the next chapter would shift backwards and replay the events of the previous chapter through the eyes of someone else. This well-established technique can work well if done in the right manner with the right novel, but often (as in this case), can become tedious and frustrating.
The book is slow-paced and never really grips you with the plot. Campbell does manage to build up some tension and an underlying suspense after a while, but this somehow doesn’t seem to get the reader any more involved with the book. The novel’s principal idea that the last dream you have will last an eternity, as this is all there is left once death takes you, is an interesting and thought-provoking notion.
I wouldn’t say that the novel is a particularly bad one, but compared with other such novels of a similar theme available, this one seems to fall short a little. A Campbell fan will enjoy this book, but I wouldn’t suggest it as an introduction to his work.
The book was originally meant to be fully illustrated with J.K. Potter’s dark and twisted use of photography creating the illustrations. Back in 1987, Potter even came to England to live with the Campbells and shoot photos of Ramsey’s then ten-year-old daughter. The photos were shot in all the locations where the novel takes place, and are available in Potter's photographic retrospective 'Horripilations'.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
One of the finest and most chilling modern ghost stories
3 Jun 2003
Format:Hardcover
THE INFLUENCE is perhaps the best demonstration yet of Campbell's skills as a novelist. Like INCARNATE and THE NAMELESS before it, this book sees Campbell writing at the peak of his abilities both as a sensitive chronicler of ordinary lives threatened by unpredictable forces, and as a literary conjuror of spine-chilling spectral terrors. In addition, this may be Campbell's most understatedly eerie novel since THE DOLL WHO ATE HIS MOTHER; but even so, some particularly frightening scenes and images in the latter half of the book may well be among the scariest that Campbell--or any horror writer, for that matter--has committed to paper within the last fifteen years at least.
Offering a haunting perspective on death and dying and a unique, skewed vision of what may lie beyond that proves both chilling and chillingly plausible, THE INFLUENCE is ultimately an intelligent, moving, terrifying meditation on loss, regret, and our need to come to grips with our own mortality--the result being arguably Campbell's most perfect novel so far.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Ramsey not at his best
6 July 2011
Format:Hardcover
The book started out fine and I was just waiting for what I knew Campbell would provide: suspenseful, creative, and interesting reading. Unfortunately, it comes in very small doses. The plot moves slowly and has too much dull reading. The book ends leaving me a little confused as to what happened. I finally found out on the 2nd to last page how Allison was able to get Queenie out of Rowan's body. But even the explanation left me a little confused. I believe Campbell spends too much time on describing surroundings and not enough time on connecting with the reader on character thoughts, intent and beliefs--once again my opinion. I still enjoy his writing style and will seek out more of his novels. Some of his books I've read have been very very enjoyable. This is just not one of his better works.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
a good spooky read
4 Jun 2011
Format:Hardcover
the influence is a great ghost story that was published in '88. it is ramsey campbell's 8th book. nothing gory or shocking, just spooky with nice gothic settings. the story tells of a family and their daughter rowan who meets up with a ghost. eerily written, the story develops into a chilling macabre tale. next to ray garton, ramsey campbell is one of my favorite authors. from his lovecraftian themed works to thrillers, he writing and visuals are extraordinary. this centipede edition is especially grand. the book is heavily illustrated with jk potter's ghostly photographs. not only do you get this excellent story, but there is an afterword by the author, a jk potter afterward, and a lengthy interview with mr. campbell. also an introduction by peter atkins. limited edition of 250 copies autographed by campbell and potter. a beautiful hardbound edition to one of campbell's great stories.
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